The World This Week - March 1st, 2013 (part 2)

Our crack panel tackles bankers’ bonuses, the French hostage drama in West Africa, France’s loss of influence in the face of Russia, Beppe Grillo’s antics in Italy and the papal succession. Will the Vatican package a new pope just like Beaujolais Nouveau markets itself – every year it’s supposed to be different, but every year it tastes the same?

Host of the show since 2010, this Franco-American was RFI’s West Africa bureau chief from 1995 to 1998. He plays it straight on all issues, except for les Bleus in rugby and ice hockey’s New York Rangers!

LAURA CELLIERPresenter

She’s a British journalist who previously worked for Bloomberg Television. At FRANCE 24, she hosts the weekly Inside the Americas, the fast-paced Live From Paris show and regularly hosts The Debate.